Development Application part 2 Planning Report MCU13/0051

Communication and Media         Authority (ACMA)and Australian Radiation Protection and
Nuclear   Safety Agency      (ARPANSA).      ARPANSA is a Federal Government agency
incorporated   under  the Health   and Ageing portfolio and is charged with the responsibility
for protecting  the health and   safety of both people and the environment from the harmful
effects of radiation (ionising and non-ionising).


All   NBN    Co    installations    are   designed    and    certified    by qualified professionals      in
accordance with all relevant Australian Standards. This ensures that the NBN Co facility
does not result in any increase in the level of risk to the public. This facility is to be
operated in compliance with the mandatory standard for human exposure to EME                              -




currently    the   Radio    communications         (Electromagnetic       Radiation    Human    Exposure)
Standard 2003. The EME Report associated with this site is included in Appendix 6. The
report shows that the maximum predicted EME level will equate to 0.022% or greater than
4,760 times below the maximum exposure limit. This is substantially less than 1 % of the
maximum allowable exposure limit (where 100% of the limit is still considered to be safe).


Moreover, all NBN Co equipment has the following features, all of which minimise the
amounts of energy used and emitted:

      .   Dynamic/Adaptive Power Control is a network feature that automatically adjusts
          the power and hence minimises EME from the facility.

      .   Varying the facility’s transmit power to the minimal required level, minimising EME
          from the network, and

      .   Discontinuous      transmission,     a     feature   that      reduces    EME      emissions    by
          automatically switching the transmitter off when no data is being sent.

8.8.2 Access

The proposed facility will have restrictions aimed at preventing public access, including a
secured compound fence with a locked gate and warning signs placed around the facility.



8.9       The Public Interest and the Benefits of Telecommunications

The  proposed NBN Co facility will have significant benefits for residents in the Cooran
area. NBN  Co believe that the public interest would be served by approval of the proposal,
providing benefits for enhanced broadband coverage in the area.


8.9.1 Other Benefits of Reliable Broadband Services

There are numerous other benefits of telecommunications connectivity, as follows:

      .   There are many educational benefits justifying the implementation of the National
          Broadband     Network. Curriculum          and    data   sharing, increased availability       and
          accessibility of research materials, and virtual classroom environments are good
          examples. Such elements are particularly beneficial within a tertiary education
          context.

      .   Businesses can, through internet usage, increase efficiency through time, resource
          and   monetary savings. Improved broadband services may effectively                      remove

          physical distance and travel time as a barrier to business.
      .   Improvements to broadband services may also be of benefit for local employees,
          by enabling telecommuting and home business. The telecommuting trend is
          heavily reliant on access to high quality internet services, and is anticipated to
          continually increase in popularity.




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                           Cooran                                                  Page 48